Organization Help

[BtflDeb1217]

I was wondering if any of my fellow fiber artists have an easy way to organize pieces of silk, chiffon, velvet and brocade fabric? The pieces are about 5"x7" or a bit larger. I want to be able to organize and store them, so that I can look down into whatever they are stored in and be able to see their colors and textures.

I thought that I might be able to wrap them around something, but I can't figure out what would work other than possibly a small piece of cardboard. I have over 150 pieces of them and not only a few pieces, so that is an issue too.

I am actually a fine artist/mixed media artist and I am moving my artistic direction into assemblage/collage art.

Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Debra

[EvaJ]

The only thing I can think of would be clear plastic containers. Then label the containers.

[DrDebby]

How about a system where you place a piece of card stock (thinner and cheaper than cardboard and can be found acid free) and the piece of fabric in a 5x7 zip lock bag. Then place these bags in a pattern box (can be found in fabric stores) then you can go through them by flipping the little bags. Or you could place like colors or textures in a file folder and put them in a file drawer using the same card stock/bag arrangement.

I used 3x5 file cards in zip lock bags that were sized for it to be a file system for my embroider floss. Each bag has a hole in it which I then placed on large metal rings. I can quickly flip through a color family to find the floss I'm looking for and the file card keeps the bags from flopping around so I can flip through them.

I agree with Eva that they should be labeled. But that can be accomplished with a sticker on the outside of the clear bag, or written on the card stock.

Just an idea. Good luck.

[BtflDeb1217]

Well, I had thought about using the same sort of system as used to organize embroidery floss. I could label the bags with what type of fabric it contains. I already have some of those larger metal rings and some of the bags with the holes punched in them. Actually those bags might even work, if I wound the fabric around a small piece of card stock and then put them inside the bags.

Thanks for your suggestions! I am going to give them a try!

If anyone else can give me other suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it!